


Sculptor and detective

by Isisstar



Category: Original Work
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-27
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2019-06-17 07:43:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15456555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Isisstar/pseuds/Isisstar
Summary: Serial killer that haunts down the streets of London. Psychiatrist that is trying to find him and a young female detective that is trying to catch him. Will she succeed or she will be a new victim?





	1. Chapter 1

“Today I will create a new masterpiece. Beauty will fill in the gap of the grey and ugly world where I live. I have already found a victim. A charming young girl with red hair that is sitting behind a small table with a cup of coffee. In her hand is a smoking cigarette in a white cigarette holder. Her head is leaned back and there is a dreamy look in her eyes. Soon I will perfect her beauty. I just need an opportunity”.  
A lean male about thirty closed a small notebook, rose from his table and threw several banknotes. Readjusting his coat, he went out and disappeared around the corner.  
Evening approached and a deep fog covered the city. People hurried home keeping near the islands of light. All people understood the danger of London fog. This is the veil that hide those, who plan evil deed.  
In a few moments, the redhead girl left the café. In her hand is a small beaded bag, a black hat covers her head. In the light of the lanterns she reminded him of a living flame. She hurried on, looking back from time to time. Nevertheless, she is walking proudly, showing no fear. Yes, she will be beautiful in her new form. Couple meters more….  
A loud staccato of the high heels on cobblestones, she is close to the entrance of the dark alley. A lightning-quick movement, and a hand with something white and smelly is touching her face. Head is swimming, eyelids are too heavy… With the sigh, she slowly sagged on attacker’s hands. Only a bag remained on the ground.  
She woke up on the table. The smell of oil, frankincense and oil paint assaulted her nostrils. Somewhere from the distance, she could hear an ominous music that send chill through her body. With slow turn of head girl realized that she is naked. Her clothes disappeared. Trashing with weak cry she tried to stand. However, she will not be free. Her hands are shackled above her head with metal cuffs. Legs are also in binds and a bit spread out. Something rattles not far from her. Blood turns into ice, when the sound is moving closer.  
A sharp pain, when a needle pierces skin on her neck. An invisible hand strangles throat and a weak sound burst from her lips. Her head fell on side and through fog she sees a dark figure. Something glistened in his hand and suave voice whispered:  
\- Be quiet, my dear. Stop fighting. I am doing You a favour, You know? If You had not met me, then all that would have faded. Your beauty, Your light. Now, thanks to me, You will turn into a real goddess of fire. Her earthly form that come to this dirty world. You will be a wild invincible flame that would proudly look upon those dirty pigs that could not understand You and Your beauty.  
However, the girl cannot hear him. With wide open, but glassy eyes, she looked into the distance. Her heart stopped. Only one small tear ran along her cheek.  
Next morning the fire brigade arrived for anonymous call about the fire in an abandoned house on Piccadilly. A terrifying scene met them.  
Between the ash and debris stuck in a sinister beauty stood a girl with red hair, dressed in Greece chiton. From the wrists, waist and femur through small holes made in bones thin silver wires were drawn and held the figure on place. With sharp smell of smoke there was something sweet and stale. Near the legs, a note was founded: “Her name is Hestia, goddess of a sacrificed fire. She brought fire to this home. Her beauty – eternal memorial of that”.  
She was the first victim of the lunatic killer, known as a Sculptor.


	2. Investigation start

Maria yawned, squinting at the pile of papers with charts and schemes. She has just come to police station as an inspiring investigator. However, there were not so much cases – several robberies and one murder because of the family fortune. She was not taken seriously, thanks to her gender. She was not bothered about that. She had brains, she can think. Well, at least, she hoped that she was right.   
She put away another chart and approached the window. That damned rain and fog! When the sun will come!   
In a free time, she had a lot of paperwork. Different references, reports, plannings and lists… Boring and important part of her job.   
Twisting her blond hair in a comfortable braid, she squinted at the clouds and listened to the footsteps and conversations behind the walls. Her own cubicle was filled with several cupboards, and there was only free space for a table and a couple of chairs. However, it was enough for her. Too noisy, the walls are thin, all is clearly heard. Something about some strange thing... She listened, but she could not understand. Then the voices got louder. Fire... The Statue... As she listened further, her eyes widened. Hestia? A girl turned into a sculpture. Cruel, terrible, and... What for? Who did this? For what purpose? She shuddered, as if she was cold. Picking up a heavy shawl, she threw it on her shoulders. A thin shirt is not warm for such case.  
The cold room of the police morgue. Medical examiners and their assistants are running back and forth. The hall is divided into several rooms, which are cold and gloomy. The air smells of decay, blood and alcohol. Dry voices methodically dictate the facts. Now Richard Sharp, the chief examiner, was preparing to examine the body of the girl turned into the statue.  
In the room, frowning from the unpleasant smells mixed with the smells of the hospital, slipped in a girl in a white robe putting her hair under a cap. Sitting on a chair in the corner, she opened the folder and only then looked at the already naked body. It... It was scary. Still it had some of its own... beauty? Scary, but...  
\- I am ready to write, Mr. Sharp...  
The doctor frowned as he took off the clothes from the body. There were no special injuries on the body. Just a few deep cuts to the wrists, ankles.  
\- We have the body of a girl, white, age approximately twenty. There are cuts in the wrists, ankles. Cut edges are smooth. A sharp knife, straight. More like a scalpel.   
After that, he took his scalpel and made an incision from the sternum to the abdomen. No blood. Instead, a pinkish liquid with the smell of incense and pine needles flowed out of the wound.  
\- Write it down. All blood was previously pumped out and replaced with an unfamiliar liquid. I note the smell of incense, pine needles. Some kind of balm that drowns out the smell of decay. The body is soft and warm to the touch. No rigor mortis. It seems that a certain composition has been introduced, which relaxes muscle spasm during agony. A brilliant madman…  
At the last words, Maria looked up in surprise. Genius?   
She wrote down the doctor's words and was amazed and horrified at what was done to the girl. She has never heard of it before... How can you do that to a human?  
\- Was she alive... When her...  
She stammered, not knowing how to explain, but the examiner did not seem to hear her.  
During organ examination, he noted the strange state of the lungs. They seemed to be punctured by the small needles. He pressed a finger and a liquid seeped out.   
\- The condition of the lungs is strange. They are filled with liquid. It is as if she started sinking from the inside for some reason. Spontaneous swelling, drowning? However, there are no traces of drowning. This is weird…   
\- Could someone have poured it into her lungs?  
The doctor's attention was drawn to a bruise on the neck. Bringing the magnifying glass, he saw a trace of the injection.   
\- On the neck is a noticeable bruise and puncture mark. Something was injected into the neck. Some kind of compound that could cause this condition. Death was painful, but quick. Fast filling of lungs with liquid. However, time of death is difficult to establish. The compound that replaced the blood maintains the body warmth.  
While writing, Maria frowned.  
Flaming red hair of the victim even now reminded of the bright flames. Even lying on this table she... She seemed very much alive.   
Did someone kill them and then make such statues? But why? What is the reason, what is the purpose?  
The doctor took the wound spreader from the tray and moved to the right side of the body, where a round hole can be seen.   
\- On the wrists, ankles and the left and right sides are markings with smooth holes in the bones. There I can see the fasteners, to which a thin but strong silver wire is attached. The holes are flat, made exactly in the joints in case of limbs. In the case of the waist, they are made symmetrically on the last rib. It seems that this person is familiar with the anatomy. He also has medical instruments.  
Frowning, the doctor pulled one of the fasteners from the bone. It was a silver-plated hook with a loop to which the wire was attached. Soon the rest were also pulled out. The doctor was now examining the victim's hips and genitals.  
\- The girl was not raped. No seminal fluid, no bruising. Therefore, the killer's target was different.  
After the examination, Richard sewed up the incision and threw the sheet over the body.   
"At least he didn't," she mentally sighed, finishing the paper. Since she wrote with a copier, she had ready two copies, one she left to the doctor, and the second put into the folder.  
\- The girl... The victim was identified?  
\- Not yet. No personal effects were found with her. In addition, the victim was wearing a thin Greek chiton. So, a regular Jane DOE.  
\- Should I look for the missing persons reports? If the application is submitted from relatives, then...  
\- This information needs to be submitted to Department that now is engaged in this business. It seems…. We have an unusual killer.  
\- Is it a serial killer?   
\- I am not sure. It is good, if we it is only one case. If not…. We need to be prepared for anything.   
Nodding, Maria went to the Department, which received and dealt with reports of missing people. However, there were no reports of the missing girl with such features. With a sigh, braiding her flowing hair again, she disappeared in her office. Having collected things-the evening was near and the working day ended - she went home, to the small apartment which she rented.   
Damp and foggy again. Why such weather dominates in London?  
Looking around and seeing no one there, she turned into an unlit lane. This way to the house is much shorter, besides the detour is also not easy and runs through an unlit Park.  
As you know, fear can make you see strange things. Maria could swear that there were footsteps behind her. Sometimes she could even hear somebody’s breath near her ear. She almost ran the whole way home, trying not to cry out of fright.   
The next morning, an article appeared in the press, with colorful detailed description of the murder. The nosy journalists even had a photo from the crime scene. Monochrome, but terrifying. London held its breath. Was it one case? Alternatively, there will be more deaths?   
While reading the newspapers, Maria winced.  
"Maniac or artist?", "The risen goddess of fire" - it were more or less pleasant headlines.   
She did not get much sleep tonight. The neighbors were arguing for the whole night and in the morning came the host - as always suddenly. Perhaps she hoped to find a man in the apartment, but she will not be able to do it because of the lack of such.  
\- Well, let us see, what will be next.   
She made another visit to the department of missing people, but no luck still. How strange…. May be she has just missed it?   
The murder case was not given to anyone. It was a cold case, where nothing can be found. No evidences, no names…   
Medical examiner also had no information. The balm that replaced blood was a mix of frankincense, pine needle oil and something that he could not identify. No lead. Dead end.   
In the evening, the case was given to her. On a silver plate and sassy smiles.   
\- Really? Are you serious? – murmured Maria rereading the file again.   
She should not have stuck her nose in that case. Definitely so. Well, it seems no good deed goes unpunished.   
\- Goddess of fire… I hope, he will stop with one. Not with the whole pantheon.


End file.
